Vehicle running-gear



(No Model.) Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. -L. F. ROBARE.

VEHICLE RUNNING GEAR.

N0. 539,307.- Patented May 14, 1895.

(No Model.)-

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. P. ROBARE.

VEHICLE RUNNING GEAR.

Patented May 14', 1895.

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L. F. ROBARB.

VEHICLE RUNNING GEAR. No. 539,307. Patented May 14, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

LOUIS F. ROBARE, OF AU SABLE FORKS, NEW YORK.

VEHICLE RUNNING-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 539,307, dated May 14, 1895.

7 Application filed March f1, 1895. Serial No. 54:0,483. (No model.)

To all whom itmay concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS F. ROBARE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Au Sable Forks, in the county of Essex and State of New York, have invented new and useful I111- provements in Vehicle Running-Gear, of

' and to be supported sufficiently low to render and axle-spring.

access thereto easy and to throw the center of gravity of the vehicle to a point that will materially lessen the danger of the vehicle upsetting in turning at high speed, about or around a curve or corner.

To these ends my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and. combination of parts hereinafter fully described and definitely pointed out in the claims following the description, due reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein- Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved running-gear, showing the general arrangement of the parts. Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the preferredmanner of connecting the axles and reaches. Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of'the running-gear. Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the front axle and spring, the bolster being removed. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the preferred form of bracket or support for carrying the axle-spring. Fig. 7 is a plan of the said spring-support. Fig. 8 shows views of the circle-iron between the forward bolster Fig. 9 is a front end elevation showing the running-gear as fitted with springs of a two-part construction. Fig. 10 is a top plan view of an axle providedwith offsetting supports for a two-part spring, the inner ends of which are extended past each. other for connection with a bolster or bolsterplate.

Referring to the drawings, the letter A in dicates the front axle and A the rear axle,

both of said axles being cranked or bent downward near the spindle at each end, whereby the axle, for the greater portion of its length, is lower than the spindles, permitting the body B of the vehicle to extend over the axles and at the same time occupy a 10W position. the opposite bent ends of each of the axles is secured in anyconvenient and suitable manner a bracket or spring support 0, Figs. 3 to 7, designed not only to engage the ends of the axlesprings D but to add, also, strength and beauty to that portion of the axle.

It will be understood that while the arms 0 and c of the brackets C are shown as fastened to the axles by means of clips at cl, the same could be made integral with or welded to the axle. The thill couplings d d, on the front axle, also serve as clips for the spring supports or brackets 0, when the said brackets are formed separately from the axle.

The springs D are each, preferably, composed of a series of leaves superposed upon or overlapping one another in the usual manner, and each spring is continuous from end to end and extended from one bracket 0 to the other at the opposite bent end portion of the axle. At each end the continuous springs D are'provided with perforated ears d and are connected to the brackets C by means of a bolt passed through the ears of the springs andthrough the eye or cylinder 0 of the bracket. It will, however, be understood that a one leaf spring might be used, instead ofa spring composed of several superposed leaves, and that the ends of the springs may be connected to the bracket by means of an intervening buckle or link.

The bolster E of the forward axle may be pivoted to the axle spring D by means of a king bolt e and a circle or wear iron of any suitable construction, onehalf e" of said circle iron to be bolted to the bolster and the'other half 6 to the axle spring. The bolster E of the rear axle is rigidly bolted to its spring. Each bolster may be made of spring steel like the leaf of a spring and may have any'design and curvature. The bolsters E and E are preferably the same width throughout their entire length, but are of greatest thickness at the center.

To the extreme ends of the bolsters E and E are secured the side bars F by means of clips f, as shown, or in any appropriate manner.

The body 13 of the vehicle may be supported by springs G of a construction similar to that used on the axle, or by springs of any other appropriate character; or the vehicle body may be supported between the side bars in any manner desired. In Figs. 3 and 4: the body springs G are shown as continuous from endto end, the opposite ends of each spring being connected to side bars by means of swivel clips or otherwise connected to the side bars and the central portion of each spring being bolted to bed plates H secured to the under side of the vehicle body.

Instead of making each axle spring and each body spring continuous from end to end they may have a two part construction as shown by the corresponding springs D and G in Fig. 9. The two part axle springs D may each be composed of a series of leaves superposed upon and overlapping one another in the usual manner, the innerend of each half being extended past the other half as shown in Fig. 10. The inner ends of the two part front axle springs may be bolted to a bolster plate I, Fig. 9, that may be pivotally connected with the bolster by means of a king bolt 6 and by circle irons or wear plates 6' e secured to the adjacent faces of the bolster and bolster plate and operating in the usual manner.

In order to adequately support the outer ends of the two-part axle springs D there may be formed on or secured to the bent portion of each axle a bracket or spring support 0 having its uppermost and outer arm a and attached eye 0 offset somewhat from a parallel line with the axle. The upper arms 0 of the brackets C diverge slightly from the longitudinal plane of the axle in opposite directions, one projecting slightly in front of the axle and the other in rear thereof. The outer ends of the two front axle springs D are connected to these offsetting bracket arms 0 by means of bolts passed through the ears of the springs and through the eyes 0 of the brackets, or in any other suitable manner, and it will be apparent that by reason of deflecting these bracket arms 0 to opposite sides of the axle, as shown in Fig. 10, the two halves of the spring D will be permitted to extend past each other, at their inner ends, and yet lie in the same parallel plane with the axle.

Each of the spring supports or brackets 0' may be formed with a rib or web 0 that will serve to strengthen the bracket and assist it in supporting the weight of the vehicle body.

The under side of the front bolster may be provided, at each side of the bolster plate I with a downwardly projecting rib 9 that terminates in a tongue g fitting under the lower wear plate or half of the circle iron to prevent the bolster from lifting or tilting. The bolster of the rear springs is directly and rigidly bolted to said springs and the ends of both bolsters are clipped or connected to the side bars, as already described.

The front and rear axles are connected together by the usual reaches K which are socured to the rear axle near each end of the latter, by means of clips d d that serve also to secure the spring supporting brackets to said axle; the front ends of the reaches being converged and connected by irons is that have a pivotal attachment to the front axle.

By means of my improved construction the vehicle body may be hung very low, the cranked axles aitording ample space for the springs, bolsters and reaches, permitting the body to be'proportionately lowered and yet extend over both axles, thus making access to the vehicle very easy and obviating in a great measure the liability of the vehicle upsetting or turning over. By causing the upper arms 0 of the brackets orspringsupports to diverge in opposite directions, the springs are permitted to be extended one past the other and yet lie in parallelism with the axle whereby all torsional strain or twist of the springs is avoided. I do not, however, wish to be understood as limiting myself to the employment of a two-part spring, either upon the axles or between the bolsters and the vehicle body, for it is obvious, as herein shown, that springs of continuous length may be used as well, if preferred. Neither do I limit myself to asprin g composed of several leaves.

It is obvious, also, that aspring of continuous length may be carried on each or either axle and two-part springs be employed between the bolsters, or side bars, and the vehicle body.

The spring supporting brackets (J or C may be formed separately from each other, or each pair may be formed in one piece having their lower arms a connected as shown in Fig. 4; and the said brackets may be secured to the axlesin any suitable manner or may be formed integral therewith.

The arrangement of the several parts of the running gear is such as will give great flexibility to the body and enable it to be placed low and extend over the axles. Both axles being cranked alike, and both provided with spring supporting brackets of the character described, it will be seen that the weight of the load is thrown near the spindles on the front axle, the same as on the rear one, and, therefore, the front axle need not be heavier than the rear, as in many other vehicles of this class.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a vehicle running gear, the combination of the front and rear cranked axles having spring supporting brackets on their cranked portions, the axle-springs connected to said brackets, bolsters mounted on said axlesprings and supporting the side bars at an elevation that will permit the vehicle body to swing between them and extend over both axles, and springs that support said body from v the side bars and adapted to allow it to have a flexibility of movement independent of the Y substantially as described.

3. In a vehicle running gear, the combination with the cranked axles, the side bars, and the bolsters, of the brackets C secured to the cranked portions of the axles and provided with the laterally curved arms 0 deflected to opposite sides of the axle, two-part axle springs secured at their outer ends to said arms and at their inner ends extended past one another and secured to the bolsters that support the side bars, and other springs for supporting the vehicle body from the side bars, substantially as described.

4. In a vehicle running gear, the combina tion with the cranked axles, the side bars, and the axle-springs connected to the cranked portions of the axles, of the bolsters mounted on the axle-springs and having their ends bent upward and backward to connect with the side bars, and springs for supporting the vehicle body from the side bars, substantially as described.

5. In a vehicle running gear, the combination with the front cranked axle, andan axle spring secured at its outer ends to the cranked portions of said axle, of the pivotal bolster E mounted on the axle spring and at its opposite ends bent upward and backward, the wear plates 6' c and ribs gformed on the under side of the bolster and terminating in tongues g engaging the under side of the lower wear. plates, substantially as described.

6. In a vehicle running gear thecombination with a cranked axle, and the side bars, of brackets secured to the cranked portions of the axle, two-part springs secured at their outer ends to said brackets and at their inner ends extended past one another and secured to a bolster plate, a bolster secured to said plate and at its opposite ends bent upward and rearward, clips securing the side bars to the ends of the bolster, and springs secured to said side bars and to bed plates on the vehicle body, substantially as described.

7. In a vehicle running gear, the combination of the cranked axles having spring supporting brackets on their cranked portions, the axle-springs having their outer-ends connected to said brackets, the bolsters mounted on theaxle-springs and having their ends extended upward and backward, the side bars rigidly clipped to the ends of said bolsters, the vehicle body, and springs that support said body from the side bars and all arranged LOUIS F. ROBARE.

Witnesses:

FRED E. TRUMBULL, LOUIs J. FARLAND. 

